TRANMERE emerged with credit from their first summer encounter with top flight Spanish opposition at Prenton Park last night.

Racing Santander demonstrated the technical dexterity you would expect from a team in the same league as Real Madrid and Barcelona.

But Rovers, who this season are in the same league as Torquay United and Hartlepool, did not allow themselves to be outclassed or overrun.

And while there were no goals to entertain a healthy crowd of more than 5,000, there was enough good football to hold the attention.

The contest was effectively two separate games of 45 minutes, between teams that changed almost completely at half-time.

Tranmere had marginally the better of the first half, when new skipper Jason McAteer and teenage striker Chris Dagnall were particularly bright.

The home side moved the ball around neatly as the Spanish took a little time to adjust to the gusting wind and driving rain of the English summer.

Tranmere went closest of all to a goal midway through the first half, when striker Eugene Dadi was denied by the woodwork.

Tranmere's second-half line-up was made to do a lot more defending and chasing as Santander slipped into a smooth groove, moving the ball confidently with quick, slick passes.

Defender Mike Jackson, the only home player to work right through each half, will have felt particular satisfaction from Tranmere's clean sheet.

McAteer was quick to make a mark on his first appearance in a Rovers shirt, driving the home side forward in the opening 20 minutes with a succession of receptive passes from central midfield.

Tranmere dominated the opening 20 minutes and it took some diligent defending from Santander centre back Pablo Cesa to clear the danger threatened by a McAteer cross and then a header by Dadi.

When a neat angled pass from Dadi set up Paul Hall on the right, Deigo Meteo had to make a valuable block.

It took Santander a little time to acclimatise to the chilly conditions but as the half wore on their passing began to find more of the crispness that is a trademark of the teams from La Liga.

Tall centre forward Arthuro gave Ian Goodison a couple of problems. The Jamaican did particularly well to block one goal-bound shot from Arthuro.

The clearest chance of the half came the way of Meteo who was left unmarked to meet a flick-on by Aflek but directed his header wide of the left hand post from six yards in the 31st minute.

Soon afterwards, a well-struck 25-yard effort from the left by Marques sent John Achterberg sprawling to beat the ball out. The goalkeeper had to make a similar save to keep out a free-kick from Cristian Alvarez.

However, Dadi came closest to a goal in the first half, with a sweet first-time effort from a low cross from Gareth Roberts that struck the foot of the right-hand post.

Hall seized on the rebound but his shot from a tight angle was blocked by a defender.

Each side made 10 changes at the interval with goalkeeper Dudu the only man to stay on for Santander.

But it was the goalkeeper at the other end, Russell Howarth, who was busiest in the second half.

Achterberg's understudy quickly had to stretch to keep out a rising 20-yard effort from Regueiro.

Santander then had what looked like a reasonable penalty claim turned down when Alan Navarro tugged Jovi Guerrero by the shirt.

The Rovers' goal was fortunate to survive on 75 minutes when Nafti cut past three challengers on a diagonal run to the edge of the box, then set up an opportunity for Regueiro, whose fierce goalbound shot knocked Jackson off his feet but sent the ball spinning to safety.

Soon afterwards, Moran was just too high with a rising shot from the edge of the box.

Tranmere had another escape on 81 minutes when Regueiro headed tantalisingly wide of the target after beating Howarth to a cross from Regragui.

A minute later, Nafti sent a powerful 30-yard effort fizzing just wide of Howarth's right hand post.